Behind Blue Hair
by RustedKnight
Summary: Marie Kanker struggles in her final year of highschool. Between a broken home and a crush who won't look at her, she does all she can do to make her final year count.
1. Chapter 1: - The Rain

Chapter 1: The Rain

It started to rain today. Unapologetically Pounding on the tin roof of the small RV my sisters and I lived in. The wind blew in ragefully and brought with it the first signs of winter. It sucked, feeling cold. No matter how much we prepared, the RV was not equipped to handle the winter and I am not ready to feel cold.

I tie my boots up and put a trash bag over my jacket with holes cut out of it for my head and arms. I then use a plastic bag to throw over my head and brave the wind and the rain to my buss stop. It felt stupid I had to catch the bus being 17 years old, but when you are poor life doesn't exactly remain fair.

Stepping outside I felt my face tighten as the rain pelted my face and I did all I could to keep the rain out of my hair and off of my makeup. I worked way to hard this summer to buy a good makeup kit so I can buy the makeup. I worked harder still to make it to these classes this year.

Honestly I surprised myself by doing so. Last year both of my sisters decided to drop out of high school to work at the Jawbreaker store. They used their new jobs to impress and flatter the guys they have chased after since we were small kids.

The Ed's. Ed and Eddy were simple to impress. All you had to do was get them through their undying love for Jaw breakers and suddenly you go from being mean, overbearing girls who fought them to get a kiss to being a means to an end. That means was all well and good for them to be happy with.

Ed was a simple, lovable, goof who had the I.Q. of a potato. May, my younger sister, was head over heels for him and the two could not have been a better match. They were simple, dumb, and loyal to those closest to them.

Eddy acted like the pack leader of the bunch. He always thought of schemes or tricks to earn a dollar so they could buy some jaw breakers. He was short tempered with an arrogance that filled the room. In his own way he is a lot like my older sister.

Lee always fancy herself the leader of us, being the older but May and I never let her take fun run of the reigns. Though she has always had a crush on Eddy, she always believed in tough love. Even now she gets a personal high from disrupting one of Eddy's many schemes. In truth, it was a very beautiful matchup that I know will happen sooner or later.

My Edd, or Double D as we call him, is different. He is refined, he is intelligent and cute and huggable and kissable and.. Sorry, I get ahead of myself when thinking of him in his black ski hat and large smile. When he was small he even had a gap in his teeth before he had braces put on a few years back.

He is more refined than to be impressed by a girl holding a small time job. I know he has to be impressed by someone who is as interested in knowledge as he is. That is why I not only stayed in school but studied my ass off to get AP courses my senior year.

It's a lot more homework and it really hurts the back part of my skull when I think about it or try to apply myself but it is worth it because now I share every class with my crush. A guy who stole my heart from the moment we met. It has been frustrating how much he seems not to notice me in the way I want him to notice me. I just hope that if I apply myself this year he will look at me in the same way I look at him.

That is why I can't let this damn rain mess up my make up! It takes me too long and I have worked way to hard to get where I am at for a little rain to ruin the day for me. So I cover my face the best I can and force myself on the bus.

When I get to class, advanced chemistry, i sit down at the front of the class. One table separate me and Double D and it was the only class we did not sit next to each other. I always hated being so far away from him, especially in a 'chemistry' class. When I sit down I smile as big as I can and wave to him. He doesn't see me though, his eyes waste deep into his book.

A strange man walks in and announces himself as a substitute teacher. He looks like someone took a brillo pad to his face and caught it on fire. Honestly, he had the face of a man who failed chemistry as a child- not like in a grade fail, like he caught the entire school on fire, fail.

The man looks across the room and I notice one of his eyes are abnormally larger than the other one. He looks over everyone until he locks onto Double D.

"Take that hat off now!" His raspy voice roars over my man.

Double D looks startled as he looks up at the teacher. He turns around before looking back at the man, his hand trembling as he points to himself.

"Me?"

"Who else! Now remove your hat NOW!"

"Don't you talk to him like that ass hole!" I jump up and shout.

The veins in his neck look like they are trying to escape as they bulge out. His face turns 7 colors of red as his fixes his goofy looking eyes on me. I step back from my desk and return the stair.

We began a shouting match. Trading insults and threats until smoke funnels out of his ears like an old 70's cartoon show. He grabs my arm and yanks me to the front of the class. Without even knowing what I am doing my reflexes take over and I punch him in his weird sized eye.

"Don't you EVER talk to Double D like that again and don't you E-V-E-R grab me!" I shout before storming out of class.

It's not the first time I've gotten in trouble in school but it is the first time I hit a teacher. I guess by now he is phoning the principle so I decide to head right there. It's a short walk anyways and I am already in enough trouble to try and create more for myself.

Needless to say he was not happy. I got a 30 minute lecture that ended in him threatening to expel me. At first I really did not give a damn. I was done being yelled at for the day and I didn't even mean to hit him! It was a reflex, it's not my fault he's a douche bag.

Thought the moment he left me to my thoughts a small knot started to build in my throat. I can't be expelled! I worked way to hard to share the same classes as Double D and I can't let that be for nothing. He would hate me if I got expelled, or worse, think I am a no one that isn't worth his time. I can't let that happen!

When the vice principal walked into the room I sprung up and closed my hands together in front of my face and begged for him to not expel me. I tried to bribe with him by telling him that I would even scrub the toilets if he wouldn't send me packing.

After a few moments of an anxiety fueled plea he finally calmed me down when he said I would only be suspended for a few days. For a brief moment I felt amazing. I could take a few days off, collect myself and hang out with my sisters, then be back in school with my Edd!

That brief moment ended when I watched my moms boyfriend walk into the office. He was dirty and he looked pissed. After a small talk with the vice principal, he had me follow him to his beat up truck.

The entire walk out felt like the green mile. I was being marched to my doom and he was the executioner. Since he moved in, my sisters and I did all we could to not be in the same house. Him and my mom would always get drunk or high and then fight. I couldn't stand it when he hit my mom, but every time we tried to do something, mom got mad and chased us out of the house.

The look in his eyes were grimminsing and I knew he was not happy about being called out from work to pick me up. The entire ride home was in silence. Each time the tire spun I felt smaller and smaller and wished I was under the hood, tuning the truck up, instead of being in the cab with him.

When we got inside of the RV he walked to the sink. The moment I closed the door he swepped his hands across the counter and sent the dishes crashing to the floor. Mom walked in from the back to see what was going on and both of us was frozen with fear.

He turned to me with venom in his eyes. His stair tore a hole through my soul as his hands shook with rage and my body shook with fear. It felt like I was alone in a dark world with only him in front of me.

"So you like to fight do you." He spat.

I turned my gaze to my shoes. I couldn't look him in the eyes and I wanted to make myself as small as possible. Maybe he would calm down if I acted weak. If I looked small and insignificant.

"LOOK AT ME YOU USELESS BITCH!" He screamed.

I jumped and attempted to make myself smaller as my eyes looked at his face. It was to much to do. His eyes were evil and everything in me was screaming 'Run, just run away now!'

"Honey." Mom started to say.

"Shut the FUCK up woman!" He yelled.

Mom's jaw was left hanging there as she took a few steps back. I felt betrayed. I looked at her for help and all I saw was a tear fall down her cheek as she turned around and walked into her room, closing the curtain so she could not watch what her boyfriend was about to do to me, her own daughter.

When I turned to look at him, my face felt like it caught on fire. He hit me in my left eye and I few back and hit my head on the door. White spots flickered in front of my eyes and it took every bit of my will to not pass out.

"I thought you liked to fight!" He screamed.

He opened the door I fell on and my body went face first into the cold mud. I heard his blood splash across the ground as he grabbed my by the hoodie of my jacket and drug me across the camp grounds.

I struggled to get enough strength in my legs to stand. This infuriated him and the next thing I feel is the air racing out of my lungs as his knee slams into my chest. He then punches me in my ear and I fall back into the mud as a flat like ring replaces the sound of the rain.

Before i can even realise I am on the ground he draws back his boot and kicks me in my stomach. Pain wraps itself around my body as I cough in pain, my body begging for air. I have been in a number of fights in my life, mostly with my sisters, but I have never been beaten like this. No one has ever hurt me like him.

He grabs a fist full of my hair and drags me to the wood line and slings me down the small hill and I tumble through the bushes. I am covered in blood and mud and I am soaked to the bone. Though even in this cold all I can feel is pain.

The pain from being beaten up. The pain of watching my own mother to allow this monster to attack me. The pain of knowing there is nothing I can do to defend myself when I thought I could be strong. He showed me I was weak. He showed me I wad alone.

"Yur not welcome here again!" He screamed.

He doesn't have to worry about that. I never want to walk into that hell again.

I lay there for almost an hour before I find enough strength to crawl out of the woods. The pain is still there but the adrenaline had disappeared and was replaced by the cold. I limped my way to the cul-de-sac. Each step became harder than the last. My legs became numb as all I could feel is the pressure of the meat in my legs jolt with every step.

My legs fail me halfway down the block and I fall to the sidewalk. I scrape myself back up and lean against a white picket fence. I wrap my arms around my legs and ball up and try to keep myself warm.

Maybe I deserve this. I have always been nasty to all of the kids here. Maybe this was Karma striking me back for all of the times I bullied the kids on this block. It waited until I actually tried to be a better person to remind me I am nothing. Just an ugly, blue haired, trailer trash bitch who isn't worth her weight in food.

Good one Marie, good one. Now I know better to ever try in this life. The worse bit of it all, today was supposed to be a good day. Guess that didn't happen. I have a mom who doesn't love me, a crush that won't look at me, I'm homeless, broken, and cold. It's just too much.


	2. Chapter 2: - The Face Behind the mirror

Chapter 2 - The face behind the mirror.

I have no clue how much time had gone by. The second hand on my watch seemed to be procrastinating as it slowly ticked it's way around the clock. Each moment lasted longer than the last as the rain pounded against me unforgivenly.

I am soaked. The beating I received from my mom's boyfriend seemed to be numbing from the cold, though my head still throbbed and my the wind had become unbearable as it lashed against my left eye.

I felt my body shutting down as the seconds ticked by. I couldn't focus on enough of a thought to keep my mind active, the only thing I could ponder were about how much this sucked to be this hurt and this cold.

Maybe this is the day I die..

My head buried between my knees with my arms wrapped around them, I attempt to stay warm but it isn't working. I had to be that way for hours before the rain stopped pelting my body. Pouring down on me as it drowned every warm feeling I have ever felt.

I still heard it raining but it was against a felt of some kind. I look up and see a large orange umbrella over my head and a guy kneeled beside me. A cute jaw with a soft frame, ski hat and beautiful eyes. They were green in the middle with a blue rim around them. Having the pleasure to look into those beautiful eyes of Double D's generally always warms me up. Though I am horrified that he is here. I don't want him to see me like this. After everything that happened I have to look weak and broken, how can that be attractive to anyone? I burry my face in my knees again to hide my tears.

"Great" I think to myself, not only am I beaten all to hell but now the one person I didn't want to see me like this is the only one who found me.

"Marie, are you.." He hesitates and his voice cracks.

"I'm find Double D. I just needed to think." I blurt out a bit more defensive than I wanted to.

"Well this is hardly the place to think about anything." Edd counters. "With the temperature as low as this surely it must hinder your cognition."

"It's the only place I…" I have to stop myself.

I can't bare telling him what happened, to tell him why I look so beat up. I also don't want to listen to any advice about my situation. My sisters and I have tried to call the cops on him when he first hit my mom. She always made some stupid excuse about tripping and falling or being goofy to explain her bruises. Then when they left he would beat her again.

Though this is the first time he ever turned his hand on me, or on any of my sisters. Somewhere in me I hoped that mom would be brave enough to defend me, or at least call the cops. But all she did was turn her back and allow him to hurt me.

Thinking about it made me sick. I look back up at Double D, his soft and worried face looking down at me. I know he would never ever be like the men my mother fell for. He would never get drunk and strike me, or belittle me infront of my peers, or force me to lie to an police man because of his addictions or use me.. I question if he would ever get up the gall to even yell at someone.

"Marie." He says.

Something about how he said that made me want to break down and cry. It was soft and filled with concern. No one had ever said my name in that way. I felt my emotions twist and tumble in that moment. I was scared, I was happy, I was worried and filled with hate, and I believe I was in love.

"Please.." I say, my voice cracking.

I intended it to mean for him to leave me alone. I still couldn't stand him looking at me in this state. He took it the other way and put his hand under my arm.

I let him help me up. My legs struggled as I tried to walk and I felt a whole new wave of cold hit my chest as I unraveled myself from my spot on the concrete. Double D allowed me to cling onto his arm as we walked down the alley. In my mind I could see us actually looking like a couple. Arm in arm, God I have waited for this moment for so long. It feels so bitter for it to be like this, for it to be because he is helping me walk, not because he like be holding on to him.

He walked me to his house and allowed me to use his shower. The moment the hot water poured over me I felt like I was standing in the grace of a greater spiritual being. The cold flowed out of my body and circled down the drain as well as a layer of mud and stains of blood.

I locked myself in the shower for over an hour before I finally convinced myself to get out. I walked over to the sink and started to dry myself off. When I finally got dressed, in a clean pair of clothes that are Double D's, I decide to look in the mirror.

My left eye was nearly swollen shut and purple. I had a cut on my lip the stretched down to the dip in my jaw. I looked skinnier now than I remember looking. I feel ugly. Worse of all, I don't have any make up and I doubt his mom is one to have any style like mine. Plus I have a much lighter skin tone than her.

I brush my hair and allow the bangs of my hair to hide my bruised eye. At least this way I don't look so beat up. I stare at my reflection in disgust. I can't even look at myself and see anything worth looking at. How could he look at me and see anything.

I'm just a beaten up punk who was thrown away by her own mother. Replaceable. Double D just has a heart and likes the help, there is no way he is doing this because he like me. The poisonous thoughts build up before I take a deep breath and look at the door.

At least I'm warm right now.


	3. Chapter 3 - Family Feud

Just what a girl needed. A hot cup of deluxe coffee to warm up her soul. I wrapped myself in sofa blanket and sat at the dining room table across from Double D.

When he handed me the coffee I almost walked to the couch before he stopped me. Double D had always been OCD and clean, part of that is eating and drinking in the proper and designated locations.

The first time I had a meal here, which was my freshman year, my sisters and I basically broke in and made a mess of the entire house. He was so mad but he looks so cute when he gets upset, so I couldn't help but press his buttons.

That seems like a lifetime ago. I would chase and kiss, and torture him and his friends for years with all of the confidence in the world. Now I am sitting across the table from him and I can't even manage a word. Luckily Edd has plenty to say.

Apparently after my altercation with the sub, he was escorted out of the building for grabbing me. The class seemed to defend me by saying I was acting in self defense. Apparently I was only suspended because of the school's Zero Tolerance policy, and my mouth for screaming curses while the teacher and I argued.

It's always good to be the last to know about my own business.

"If you want, I can bring you your homework from class." Double D offered.

"Yeah," I say looking at my coffee.

"I am struggling enough to get behind." I say. "That will help."

I didn't mean it. The classes are hard but I have a technique in learning them, I just like actually having Double D do something for me. Like he owes me anything.

"If you need help-"

"That's sweet." I say cutting him off.

The door burst open and a scratchy voice yells "Double D!"

In walks a guy with dark, slick back hair, an over sized block head and wide eyes. He was short and was wearing a yellow shirt, jeans, and a chain from his front belt loop that went into his back pocket. It was Eddy, Edd's obnoxious friend.

Behind him came a guy who looked like a tree with legs. He was very tall, with a military crop hair cut, a waldo like red and white stripe shirt, green army jacket and blue jeans. He always looked like he was watching the sunset, invested and lost in the world around him, in a happy way.

"The new Jawbreaker XL is-"Eddy starts to say before spotting me.

His face goes from a cheerful glee to a complete confusion and horror. He stands there with a foot in the air with two fist sized jaw breakers in his hands.

"Here.."

"Hi Eddy." I say waving my fingers.

Eddy and Ed flank Double D. Eddy points his finger at me as Ed grabs Double D and lifts him out of his chair. The feeling in the room is intense and I can't help but smile. Those old feelings flutter in my stomach as the mischievous part of me attempts to come out.

"Don't worry Double D! We will save you!" Ed yells.

"Oh dear." Edd eps from under the crushing embrace of Ed

"What are you doing here Marie!" Eddy says in bewilderment tone that is salted with false confidence.

"Touching Double D until I crush his spirits and convince him to give me a big wet kiss." I say though a smirk.

Ed's phone rings and he drops Double D on his butt. I hide my smile with my hands when he gives Ed a dirty look, one eye closed as he rubs the small of his back.

"Hi May!" Ed says into the phone.

He is the epiphany of what would happen if a dog turned into a man child. Ed sticks one hand in his pocket and spins on his heel as he talks to my sister.

"Oh no!" Ed exclaims. "If I see Marie I will definitely let you know!"

"You goof, Marie is here!" Eddy says, lifting an eyebrow.

Ed covers the phone with his hand and gets in Eddie's face and says "Shush" in the loudest tone Marie had ever heard. "I'm on the phone Eddy! Don't be rude!"

Eddy rolls his eyes and decided to give Edd a hand up.

"Oh yeah!" Ed says, "The new jaw breakers are great! I am really"

Ed turns around and stops mid sentence. He looks at me astonishingly. Like he didn't see me sitting here before he answered the phone. I raise my eyebrows and stare him down.

"What!" I say.

"May! I found Marie!." He shouts in excitement.

Eddy buried his face in his hands and exhales. Double D shakes his head, and I give Ed a look like he is some strange alien creature.

Then I think, why are my sisters looking for me? Before I get the chance to say anything, Double D's front door burst open and my sisters march in.

Lee Red perm hair bounces with every step, her eyes barely surviving the front lines of her hair do. May long flowing blond hair dances behind her as the two march into the room.

"Marie!" Lee says in a very tom boyish voice.

May pushes Lee and gives her a dirty look, her phone pressed against her ear.

"Sorry, I found Marie at Double D's house, thanks Ed!" May says delightfully

"Anytime May! Let me know what happens."

By now May and Ed are facing each other talking to each other quite loudly in their phones. The entire room is in awe including myself. No matter how many times you witness it, the thickness of these two is mind numbing and stunning.

"I will honey!" May says as a blush fills her face."

"Bye!" They say in unison."

They hang their phones up and look at each other. Smiles that stretch from ear to ear are painted on their face.

"Ed!"

"May!"

"Wow.." Eddy muttered

"Enough!" Lee says prying May and Ed apart from each other.

She marches to my side and gets nose to nose to me. I put my coffee cup down and with my hand on her face I push her back. She grabs my arm and lifts the hair from my eyes and her head turns as red as her face.

"What a shiner!" Eddy says.

"I'll fucking cut him!" Lee growls.

"Languish!" Double D protests."

"Shut the hell up!" Lee shouts.

Double D sinks into his chair in obedience. I stand up and get in Lee's face. I don't need her defending me, I also don't want her in this fight, I don't want to see that ass hole hurt her.

My sisters and I can all fight, and we are damn good, but my mom's boyfriend is a retired cage fighter who even had matches in the UFC. The first time he struck our mom we were all willing to do whatever it takes to bring him down. Baseball bats, crowbars, a truck, hell even calling to cops. But we let our mom's fear stop us.

Ever since that day, watching her lose the fight in her, I started to change. I became more focused in school and trying to be pretty for Double D. I allowed myself to be calm and soft. I wanted something more than this life. I can't live in the trailer park for the rest of my life, I have to make something of myself. Saying I was doing for only Double D is a lie. He is what keeps me going, but it's my dreams that allowed me to do it.

Though it seems I let myself be too soft. I never called the cops because even if mom threw me to the wolves, I didn't want her to go to jail.

"Back off I'll deal with it!" I shout.

"Oh like you did when he did that!" Lee countered.

"He sucker punched me. I'll deal with it Lee!" I scream.

"God I hate you!" Lee shouts. "We are sisters and no one messes with the Kankers!"

I want to punch her. I want to punch her in the face and Then do it again and after that, pick her up and let her join me to jump this dick. I can't, my pride is still hurt and I don't want her involved.

"I got this." I say to Lee.

I look her in the eyes and I start to calm down and both of us start to breath normally.

"Fine!" Lee says. "But we are still coming with you and if you start to get your ass kicked we are jumping in."

"Yeah!" May shouts.

Those old feelings are starting to warm my bones. Sometimes it feels better to be bad than it is to be good. I look at Double D and he looks a bit annoyed and my heart softens. I know I need him in my life, a counter weight to the madness.

"You're just going to get beat up again, why not just call the cops and get it over with." Eddy says judgingly.

My blood pressure breaks the meter! I go to charge him, fantasizing about my hands twisting themselves around his oversize neck as I choke some sense into him.

Lee and May bare hug me and my frustration comes out of my mouth.

"I don't need to call the cops your dwarf! They'll only make things worse you!"

"Ladies! Eddy, please." Double D interjects"

"Fine then, have at it." Eddy says blowing the subject off.

"Calm down!" Lee says squeezing her arms around me, my bruised ribs start screaming in pain.

The pain expels my energy and I stop struggling. I am still pissed but Lee and May have me restrained and it will only hurt my ribs more if I fight them.

After she is convinced that I won't strangle her crush, Lee lets go and looks at Eddy. Her eyes light up as she talks talking in a higher pitch.

"Sooo, Eddy, what would you do to get back at him?" She ask with a flirt.

"Call the cops!" Eddy blirts out.

I go to charge him but May restrains me again, my ribs scream in pain, feeling like someone is playing whack-a-mole with knifes on my side.

"If that wasn't an options?" Lee asks. "I know you can think of something clever with that brain of yours!"

"Why should I?" Eddy asks, "Your sister is daydreaming about murdering me as we speak."

He is not lying.

"Because I can get you a month's worth of all you can eat jawbreakers!" Lee bribes

"No you can't."

"I'll buy you a new PX780 game." Lee counters, the flirt in her voice now gone.

"I already have all the games I want. Besides if I wanted to get a game I can think of way easier and funner schemes to deploy."

"If you don't do it I will let Marie go."

May lets me go and I feel like a dog that was let off it's lease. I crack my knuckles and take a step toward Eddy. I really don't want to hurt him….. Okay maybe rough him up a little bit… For old times sake.

Eddy's eyes nearly jump off of his face, he slides back his chair and sinks into it.

"Okay okay!"

"I don't need his help." I growl when I get my mind about me.

"Shut up already, call it a back up plan."

"Lee I swear to."

Double D walks into the room. Somehow in all of the fuss I did not notice him leave. He has a bucket and a mop, a broom, a vacuum, and a few scrub brushes.

He stands in the middle of all of us and stands tall.

"You can all argue later!" He declares in a firm and loud voice. "After you help me clean up your mess!"

It seems my sisters and the other Eds tracked mud in the house. I can only imagine how long he held his frustration in before finally having enough. It was cute.

"Says who?" Lee says.

"Says me!" Double D shouts.

A millisecond after he said it, all of his confidence and bravery evaporates. He takes a step back and starts to shake a bit at the knees as Lee towers over him.

I exhale my frustration and grab a sponge. This is a great time to put the argument to rest and take to the distraction.

"So feisty." I say before nudging him.

"I'll take my shoes off but I'm not cleaning anything, neither is May." Lee says.

"Hey!" Eddy goes to protest.

"Unless you want cut off on all of the freebees at the jawbreaker store, you best be a good boy and clean up our mess."

Eddy mumbles under his breath and grabs the broom. Ed gets a sponge and May follows in behind him.

"You need to rest." Edd says to me.

His hand is on my shoulder and a swarm of butterflies fly through my insides. I really just want to wrestle him down to the ground and smear the makeup I wish I had on all over his face.

"I believe Eddy is right. Calling the cops on him is the best choice here."

"It's not that easy."

"Nothing good is ever easy." He says and he lets his arm slide off my shoulder.

I fall into my chair next to Lee and we watch them clean.

"Didn't you say May-"

"Yep."

"I don't like it Marie, we always handled this together." Lee says.

"I know.. I just need to know I still have it in me."

"I'm still not letting you go alone. Handle what you can, but If it gets too big, we are jumping in." Lee says.

"Okay.."


End file.
